This topic

New FTTH install cables.

djh22 — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 15:02:07 GMT

Hello, Next week I'm supervising my Daughters FTTH install while she's away and because of the lack of suitable power sockets there's only one place the engineer can install ONT unit which is luckily where the existing pstn cable comes into the property but the red Cat5 cable BT has delivered is not long enough to run from the ONT to the Smart hub2 which is at the moment in the best place for good wifi coverage throughout the house.

So rummaging though some of my old stuff BT have sent over the year I've come across an unwrapped 10m STP ethernet cable with the code G9213ZC030-22 on the polythene wrap - the questions are 1 will this work OK from the ONT to the Smart hub instead of the one BT has sent and 2 do you think the engineer will be happy to use it ?

Sorry I can't find where to upload a pic.

Cheers,

Del.

Re: New FTTH install cables.

gg30340 — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 15:17:11 GMT

You can use any Cat5e upwards cable. The colour is irrelevant. The engineer should have no problem using it.

Re: New FTTH install cables.

Keith_Beddoe — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 15:45:04 GMT

@djh22

Amazon show the same thing, and say its a CAT5e cable, although I would be surprised, as the one I have is quite thin.

Re: New FTTH install cables.

djh22 — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 16:17:08 GMT

Thanks gg30340.

Re: New FTTH install cables.

djh22 — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 16:23:55 GMT

Thanks Keith, yea that's the one and thinness of the cable is the bit that worries me,I think I got mine with an old YouView box so not sure if it will work from the OTN to Hub. I guess I'll have to source another cat5 cable from somewhere or maybe join 2 shorter ones with the old rj45 connectors.

Best,

Re: New FTTH install cables.

pippincp — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 16:37:28 GMT

Give it a try but be prepared to have to use an alternative, You can pick them up cheap enough from ebay.

Re: New FTTH install cables.

djh22 — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 16:40:19 GMT

Thanks pippincp, I agree, just trying to make sure all goes smoothly on Thursday.

Cheers.

Re: New FTTH install cables.

Keith_Beddoe — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 16:42:24 GMT

@djh22

I have one of those cables and tried to use it to feed a POE wireless access point, and found that only four wires were actually connected.

Re: New FTTH install cables.

gg30340 — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 16:45:32 GMT

I wouldn't join two cables. The cable you have is a Cat5e cable. The STP refers to the type of shielding that it has. It should work OK but if you are worried about it you can get a 10 meter Cat5e Ethernet cable on line for about £10.

Re: New FTTH install cables.

djh22 — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 16:48:46 GMT

Thanks everyone for your very helpful replies, I think I'll order a new 10m cat5 cable just in case.

Cheers.

Re: New FTTH install cables.

36ULW — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 16:50:47 GMT

Pretty sure that won’t work as it’s a Cat5 cable, i.e. only 2 pairs and not a CAT5e 4 Pair.

Can you not just use an Electrical Extension Cord so they can install the ONT to where the Router is/will be?

Re: New FTTH install cables.

djh22 — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 17:04:52 GMT

It has to go under a carpet in front of a fireplace so an electrical extension cable would be a bit bulky, thanks anyway though.

Re: New FTTH install cables.

djh22 — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 17:10:55 GMT

I'm thinking of this on Amazon -

RJ45 Cat5E-CCA UTP Patch 26 AWG cable 10m

Re: New FTTH install cables.

countrypaul — Sat, 02 Sep 2023 06:59:45 GMT

The CCA suggests the cable is Copper Coated Aluminium rather than simply fully copper wires. I always try and avoid CCA due to past problems and pay a little more for full copper.

Re: New FTTH install cables.

WSH — Sat, 02 Sep 2023 09:00:44 GMT

I’d concur with 36ULW.

I’ve got one of those cables on an old BT TV box. It’s 2 pair only TX cable, limited to 100Mb/s max. You’ll need 4 pair cat 5e or cat 6 for the ONT but the length could theoretically be up to 100m.

Re: New FTTH install cables.

djh22 — Sat, 02 Sep 2023 09:35:30 GMT

Thanks everyone, your excellent advice has been noted and I have sourced a more compliant cable.

Cheers,

Del.

Re: New FTTH install cables.

Microvent — Sun, 03 Sep 2023 08:48:07 GMT

Can’t you just use a double mains adaptor where the router is? You can get flat ones from Amazon just google 3 way mains extender
My engineer ran the fibre cable to the back bedroom where the router was and put the ONS there.

Re: New FTTH install cables.

djh22 — Sun, 03 Sep 2023 09:22:35 GMT

Thanks Microvent, yes I could and that would be my son-in-law's preferred position for the ONT, but there are also unmovable obstacles in the way such as a large fish tank and a large old fashioned fire place and other places where it wouldn't be appropriate to pin cables.

Cheers.

Re: New FTTH install cables.

Anonymous — Sun, 03 Sep 2023 15:04:06 GMT

I'm a bit late to this thread, but also got led astray using the cable pictured - two of them from my Useful Bits Box, originally from BT.

It took me a while to realise that they were the reason my laptop was only syncing to the Hub @ 100Mbps. I thought one might be faulty, but became suspicious when the second did the same. A third, different type, cable correctly synced @ 1000Mbps.

Those two cables went in the (recycling) bin - to avoid confusion in the future!

Re: New FTTH install cables.

djh22 — Sun, 03 Sep 2023 15:09:46 GMT

Good advice, thanks Paul.